That’s what will happen when you are a rookie in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and piloting one of the most iconic cars in racing history – the No. 24.

Byron, 20, is just one of several young drivers that are taking the sport by storm.

With so many iconic, established veterans leaving the sport, the spotlight is being turned to NASCAR’s younger drivers.

Tony Stewart retired from the Cup Series two seasons ago; Carl Edwards abruptly left the sport following the 2016 season; Jeff Gordon, who famously drove the No. 24 car, handed his steering wheel in for a spot in the Fox Sports broadcast booth; Dale Earnhardt Jr. is done racing as a full-time driver; Matt Kenseth, who was the 2003 Cup Series champion, didn’t get a ride for this season and decided to step away from the sport, and Danica Patrick, who has been proclaimed the most successful woman in NASCAR history, is just days away from competing in her final Cup Series race.

Byron and Alex Bowman both have received plenty of attention entering the 2018 season. Byron is taking over the No. 24 car for Hendrick Motorsports, and Bowman is replacing Earnhardt in the No. 88 car.

Alex Bowman climbs into the No. 88 car Thursday before the first of two qualifying races for the Daytona 500.(Photo: AP)

“It’s a golden opportunity to go out and show what we can do,” Byron said of filling in the void left by Gordon. “We have great race cars and great fan support. We’re already way ahead of what most rookies have to go through, and I feel like that’s an advantage for me, and the fans will be eager to see what we can do on the racetrack in the 24 car. The bond that I have with my crew chief will be the strongest thing that I can lean on.”

Byron said that both Gordon and seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson have helped him in the early stages of this year to understand the challenges and logistics he will face on any given race weekend.

“I’ve talked to Jeff (Gordon) quite a bit,” he said. “I lean also on Max Papis. He’s my personal coach, my personal adviser. I have quite a few people in my corner helping me through each situation. A lot of it is learning for myself.”

Although Byron will be looked upon to replace the legacy left by Gordon, Byron doesn’t feel any burden or pressure.

“For me, I’m focusing on what I can do in the car,” he said. “I want to work on my team and what we can do together. That speed is already there, and the team has had the ability to win a lot of races, so I’m going to lean on that as much as I can.”

For Bowman, winning the Daytona 500 will be a challenge and he understands that, as he hasn’t raced a regular-season Cup Series race since 2016

“I haven’t speedway raced in a year, so it’s going to be tough,” he said. “I have to get my feet back under me as far as speedway racing goes. Last time I drove the 88 at a speedway race, we ran third in a Clash. Before that, we ran second or third and spun out at Talladega. I think we’ll be pretty strong. We obviously have a fast race car. I just have to do my best and keep it up front and out of trouble.”

Bowman, who has 81 Cup starts under his belt despite not racing in 2017, will start Sunday’s Daytona 500 from the pole after turning in a lap time of 46.002 seconds around Daytona’s 2.5-mile superspeedway in last Sunday’s qualifying session.

If Bowman ends up putting his No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in victory lane on Sunday, he will be a part of Daytona history as he will become the 17th driver to win a Cup Series race at Daytona from the pole position, with the most recent instance occurring in 2015, when Earnhardt won the Coke Zero 400.

“It would be really special to win the 500,” Bowman said. “I have a long day on Sunday to try to make that happen. We’ve been close to winning races with the 88 team before, so I know we can pick up where we left off and do it again.”